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Health Intervention for Young Children with or at Risk for Disabilities

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 12575

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Michelle Heys

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Population, Policy and Practice, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1DZ, UK
Interests: paediatrics; child health; population health; health systems; equity; implementation science; inclusion health; childhood disability; neurodiversity; global health; newborn care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to this Special Issue of IJERPH dedicated to the topic of “Health Interventions for Young Children with or at Risk for Disabilities”. Early childhood is a critical period for development, laying the foundation for lifelong health and well-being. For children facing disabilities or developmental delays, timely and effective interventions are paramount for optimizing their outcomes and ensuring their full participation in society.

This Special Issue aims to bring together a collection of research articles, reviews, and perspectives from leading experts in the field, exploring a range of innovative interventions aimed at promoting the health and development of young children with disabilities or at risk for disabilities. From early screening and diagnosis to evidence-based interventions and family-centered care approaches, the articles within this issue delve into various aspects of health intervention strategies tailored to the unique needs of this population. 

Through rigorous scientific inquiry and interdisciplinary collaboration, the contributors to this Special Issue aim to advance our understanding of effective health interventions for young children with disabilities, ultimately striving to enhance equity and the quality of life for these children and their families. We hope that the insights presented in this Special Issue will inform policy, practice, and future research directions, fostering positive change and improving outcomes for vulnerable children worldwide.

Prof. Dr. Michelle Heys
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • children and young people
  • disability
  • health systems
  • intervention development
  • implementation science
  • equity

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 779 KiB  
Article
Assessing Aquatic Readiness as a Health-Enhancing Measure in Young Swimmers with Physical Disabilities: The Revised Aquatic Independence Measure (AIM-2)
by Anat Chacham-Guber, Yadin Sapir, Aviva Goral and Yeshayahu Hutzler
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(3), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22030421 - 13 Mar 2025
Viewed by 380
Abstract
Based on the well-established health outcomes associated with the aquatic environment, this study aimed to evaluate the validity of the Aquatic Independence Measure—Revised (AIM-2). The original scale comprised twenty-three skills, graded on a five-point proficiency scale. A sample of one hundred eight young [...] Read more.
Based on the well-established health outcomes associated with the aquatic environment, this study aimed to evaluate the validity of the Aquatic Independence Measure—Revised (AIM-2). The original scale comprised twenty-three skills, graded on a five-point proficiency scale. A sample of one hundred eight young swimmers with disabilities, who had completed at least two years of training, was assessed by their coaches, generating a dataset of four thousand nine hundred sixty-eight scores. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and internal consistency measures were applied to validate the scale’s structure, resulting in the extraction of three factors accounting for sixty-four percent of the variance, based on thirteen original items. Two independent experts established interrater reliability in twenty-two participants. Additionally, divergent validity was examined across participants’ years of swim-training experience across three disability severity categories, gender, and two age groups. Significant differences were found in skill acquisition based on years of experience and disability severity. The results indicate that the AIM-2 effectively assesses swimming readiness in young swimmers with disabilities. Coaches can use it to monitor progress, optimize training, and support the health benefits of aquatic activities for children and adolescents with disabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Intervention for Young Children with or at Risk for Disabilities)
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Review

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20 pages, 853 KiB  
Review
Assessment of Sport and Physical Recreation Participation for Children and Youth with Disabilities: A Systematic Review
by Georgina Leigh Clutterbuck, Eugeenia Wen and Sara Petroccitto
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(4), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22040557 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 358
Abstract
Accurate measurement of participation in sport/physical recreation for children with disabilities is important due to decreased physical activity in this population. This review examines the psychometric properties of relevant assessments. Four databases were searched for studies investigating assessments of participation in sport/physical recreation [...] Read more.
Accurate measurement of participation in sport/physical recreation for children with disabilities is important due to decreased physical activity in this population. This review examines the psychometric properties of relevant assessments. Four databases were searched for studies investigating assessments of participation in sport/physical recreation for children and youth with disabilities. The assessment content was analyzed by the proportion of items relevant to sport/physical recreation and the inclusion of participation elements (attendance or involvement). The evidence quality was evaluated using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklists and summarized according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Nine assessments (46 papers) met criteria. Only the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment measured attendance and involvement. Five assessments measured attendance (12–90% items related to sport/physical recreation) and three context-dependent assessments measured involvement. Only the Measure of Experiential Aspects of Participation and Self-reported Experiences of Activity Settings (involvement) were recommended by GRADE. No assessment adequately measured attendance and involvement in sport/physical recreation for children and youth with disabilities. While existing assessments may continue to be used to measure global participation, a comprehensive assessment of sport and physical recreation should be developed with and evaluated for children and youth with disabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Intervention for Young Children with or at Risk for Disabilities)
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14 pages, 724 KiB  
Review
Synthetic Colors in Food: A Warning for Children’s Health
by Zandleme Birino de Oliveira, Darlene Vitória Silva da Costa, Ana Caroline da Silva dos Santos, Antônio Quaresma da Silva Júnior, Amanda de Lima Silva, Raphael Carlos Ferrer de Santana, Isabella Cristhina Gonçalves Costa, Sara Freitas de Sousa Ramos, Gabriel Padilla and Silvia Katrine Rabelo da Silva
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(6), 682; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21060682 - 27 May 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 11122
Abstract
This study addressed the harmful effects of artificial colors in pediatric populations, including children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as those without behavioral disorders. There is a consensus that synthetic food colorings have several [...] Read more.
This study addressed the harmful effects of artificial colors in pediatric populations, including children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as those without behavioral disorders. There is a consensus that synthetic food colorings have several impacts on consumers, especially pediatrics, due to their influence on sensory appeal, which can encourage preference for certain foods. The results revealed that these color additives are directly linked to a series of health problems, with a greater impact on children, including a predisposition to pathological conditions such as carcinogenic, allergenic, mutagenic, cytotoxic, and clastogenic activities, as well as gastrointestinal and respiratory problems, in addition to behavioral changes in children with and without diagnosed disorders. The harms of synthetic dyes in children with or without comorbidities are worrying and require a careful and proactive approach from parents, caregivers and public authorities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Intervention for Young Children with or at Risk for Disabilities)
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